Association Urges BKPM to Revoke Benjina's License
23 April 2015 15:42 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Riza Damanik, Head of the Indonesian Traditional Fishermen Association (KNTI), urged the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) to immediately revoke PT Pusaka Benjina Resource's (Benjina) business permit for being involved in modern-day slavery practice.
"The revocation of [Benjina's] operating license is the responsibility of the state to ensure that Indonesia does not tolerate slavery practice and human trafficking," Riza told Tempo through a text message on Wednesday, April 22, 2015.
Recent discovery of slavery practice committed by Benjina has proven that the company had failed to comply with prevailing laws in Indonesia. Riza added that the government should not worry if the company decided to bring the case to international arbitration body. "The government has sufficient evidence to charge [Benjina]," Riza said.
The Benjina case emerged after Maritime and Fishery Minister Susi Pudjiastuti discovered a slavery practice committed by PT Pusaka Benjina Resource. Hundreds of Myanma ship crews were discovered to have been employed without being paid.
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